A man whose SUV was stolen from outside a store has offered the thieves the title to the vehicle in exchange for his beloved pug who was inside when it was taken.

Doug Clark has pleaded for the safe return of the dog, Dugout, who was in a crate in the SUV when it was stolen in broad daylight from outside a metal recycling plant in Springfield, Missouri on Thursday.

He has even offered them the title of his black 2009 Nissan Pathfinder, a vehicle that can cost up to $40,000 when sold new.

'That was my dog,' Mr Clark, who was given Dugout as a 30th birthday present, wrote on his Facebook page. 'You don't mess with a guy's dog.'

Anger: Doug Clark pictured with the title of his SUV - which he has promised to the thieves who stole the vehicle on the condition that they return his beloved pet pug who was inside

Mr Clark was at McCoy's Iron and Metal in Springfield on Thursday to recycle his children's broken trampoline frame, KY3reported.

The dog was inside the car, so Mr Clark left the engine running with the air conditioning on while he went inside the office quickly. The keys were still in the car when he went inside.

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But a couple of minutes later, he left the shop to see his SUV drive off.

The thieves were ahead of him in the shop and McCoy's requires customers show their ID. Staff have passed their information onto police but authorities asked them not to release it to the public.

The thieves - believed to be a couple - were also caught on surveillance cameras at the business.

Have you seen him? Dugout the pug was inside a crate in the SUV when it was stolen in broad daylight

Missed: The family's dog had been left inside the car with the engine on while Mr Clark went into a shop

Family: The Clarks said Dugout is 'part of our family' and that the car was not as important as their dog

The family is now trying to spread the word to bring Dugout back home.

'We are trying to reach as many people as
we can to at least make everyone aware of what Dugout looked like and
the location that he was taken from,' Mr Clark told KY3.

They are handing out fliers and offering a $2,000 reward. Thousands of people on Facebook have shared an image of Clark pleading for the return of the animal.

'I know it's just a car, but man (and woman) that was my dog,' he wrote beneath an image of him holding the vehicle's title. 'You don't mess with a guys dog.

'I sure would like to meet you guys,
you seem like fun-loving people. I have an idea. You two just keep the
ride. I'll meet you with the title to make your life easier. All you
gotta bring is an alive Pug.

Vehicle: He has offered the title to the 2009 Nissan Pathfinder, which can sell for as much as $40,000 new

Scene: Mr Clark was inside the office at the scrap metal recycling plant, pictured, when the car was taken

'To anyone who may know these lovebirds, I am laying down $2k to arrange this friendly meet up.'

He added to KY3: 'He's a part of our family.'

McCoy's Iron and Metal said in a statement that they expressed their sympathies to the family.

'We have turned over all surveillance footage as well as suspect information to the Springfield Police Department,' it said. 'While Springfield PD has requested that we do not share suspect information to any victims, we are doing everything possible to cooperate with the investigation.'